Arthur sciiwarz



' No. 607,649. Patented July 19, I898.

A. SCHWARZ.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING AND WASHING PHOTOGRAPH) PAPER.

(Application filed May 3, 1897.)

(No Model.)

oi'paper at all making a .PATENT O FICE.

ARTHUR sonwAnZ, or BERLIN-SCHONEHERG, GERMANY.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING AND WASHING PHOTOGRAPHIC PAPER. 7

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,649, dated July 19,1898.

Application filedMay 3,1897. Serial No. 684,927. (No model.)

To 11,11! wit/mt it may concern:

Be it known that I, subject of the German Emperor, residing at lierlin-Schiineberg,

paratns for Treating and Washing Photographic Paper, of which the following is a specification.

In the man ufacture of photographs in large to quantities the strip of paper after having been exposed is passed through the baths containing the solutions'for developing, toning, and -iixing the pictures. For this purpose the paper has been advanced in vertical loops by I means of guiding and driving rollers, so as to obtain the continuous feeding of the paper through all the baths. Such operation pre- -,sents a great disadvantage very important for the thorough treatment of the paperviz.,

that the photographs are onlyvisible to the attendant during the small period that the paper emanating from the bath passes around the driving-rollers to enter into the next bath. It'is evident that great care and practice are required to judge during this short period whether the photograph has been duly developed or toned. A thorough View of the paper can only be obtained after it has passed through all the baths, but if it is then ascergo tained that the time during which the paper was submitted to the action of the solution was not correct the whole length of paper then in-the baths is spoiled or of inferior value, which represents a rather considerable 5 loss, considering the length of'pap'er thus lost.

The purpose of my invention is to devise an apparatus for developing, toning, and fixing photographs, enabling the attendant to icontr'ol' the action of the solutions upon the times and in all phases of the treatment.

To theaecomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as'may hereiuafterappear the invention consists in the construetion and the combination of parts hereinafter particularly described and then sought to .be specifically defined by the claims.

I have illustrated a schematic construction of this apparatus 1/11 the annexed drawing, part of this specification. .The baths consist of elongated shallow re- ARTHUR Scnwnnz, a

Germany, have invented 5 certain new and useful Improvements in Apeeptacles A of, for instance, eight meters in length by 0.5 meter in depth and are arranged one above the other in a solid structure, so that between each bath an open space of about 0.5 meter is left, enabling the attendant readily to overlook the surface of each bath. Above the short side walls of each bath are mounted guiding-rollers a a, over which thestrip of paper I is passed in such manner that it forms a loop between said rollers, and thus becomes immersed in the bath. The reel L, upon which the exposed strip of paper P is wound, is arranged near the upper bath I, and the paper emanating from the reel passes over roller a of bath I toward roller a, its loop passing through the solution contained in the bath, as shown. The strip of paper then passes downward from roller a" of bath I to roller a of bathII and after traveling through the solution contai'nedin this bath passes over rollera of bath II downward to roller a of bath III, and so on.

Atthe .ends of the bath Where the strip of paper is fed into the solution are provided drive-rollers (t rollers a or a for the purpose of providing the continuous feeding of the strip of paper. To this end or a, thatcooperate with the rollers a are provided with conical gear-wheels b, engaging with the conical wheels Z) of the vertical shafts 0., The shafts O are rotated by means of conical gear-wheels g and g, as shown in the drawing, or in any other suitable manner. From the above it is evident'that the attendant can observe the paper over the entire length of the baths, and thus ascertain whether the action of the solutions is duly regulated. He is also enabled to'interrupt the treatment at any time in a .vcry simple 1nann erfor instance, by pushing a stick 7:. under the loop of paper in the bath and lifting the same, as shown in dotted lines in bath II. V

It,is admitted that in consequenceof their .grcatlengththeindividual bat-hsoeeupy more space than those through which the paper is fed-in vertical loops; but this disadvantage is removed by the arrangement offthe baths one above the other. Consequently the entire apparatus will occupy less space than cooperatin g with the guidingthe axles of the guiding-rollers a IOC , more or less affected by same.

similar apparatus'so far used and the cost of installation will be less; but the essential advantage is that the attendant has always all the baths under his control, and a further important advantage is that in the baths in which the paper is washed a very efficient countercurrent of the washing liquid in regard to the direction of the motion of .the paper may be created. If, for instance, this countercnrrent is to be provided in baths III and IV, the washing liquid may be advantageously fed in the bath through a perforated pipe (I at the end where the paper leaves the bath and be drawn off at the other end through a pipe e into the lower bath IV.

The pipe 6, suitably bent, thus serves again as feeding-pipe for bath IV, the Washing liquid flowing off at the other end through pipe f.

By making the bottoms of the baths III and IV inclined toward the diseharge-pipes the eifect of the countercurrent of the washing liquid in regard to the motion of the paper is still increased.

It is further to be remarked that no mechanical parts are located in the baths, so that a greater durability is obtained than in such apparatus where the driving or guiding parts are immersed in the solution and are If the paper is fed'through the baths in the manner described, no special guiding-devices for the wet paper will be required, for although it is immersed in the solution still it is to a large extent carried by same, and the solution presents a smooth path, over which the paper slides. j

The-paper after leaving bath IV is carried into a drying apparatus consisting of an elongated flne T, through which passes hot air.

0 The paper is finally wound upon a reel \V.

Havin now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus for treating photographic paper, the combination of a series of independent baths arranged one above the other in horizontal planes so as to leave an open space between the baths for observation of the paper as it passes througl the baths,. guide-rolls arranged at opposite nds of eachbath, outside thereof, for supporting the photographic paper at opposite ends of the bath and permitting it to hang loosely in the bath, and means for moving the paper from one bath to the other, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In an apparatus for treating photographic paper, the combination of a series of independent baths arranged one above the other in horizontal planes so as to leave an open space between the baths for observation of the paper as it passes through the baths, guide-rolls and feed-rolls located at' opposite ends of the baths outside thereof .for

supporting the paper at. opposite ends of the bath and permitting it to hang loosely in the bath, means for operating the feed-rolls for moving the paper lengthwise of one bath and thence downward to the next bath and so in opposite directions through the series of baths, and means for admitting a washing liquid into one end of certain of the baths and delivering from the-opposite end into the bath next below, substantially as and for the purposes described. I

In witness whereof 'I have hereunto set'my hand in presence of two witnesses.

W. IIAUPT, HENRY IIASPER. 

